13.12.04
Irish Examiner
Taoiseach apologises in bid to save peace process
The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has apologised to Ian Paisley in a bid to halt a new row over IRA disarmament turning into a political crisis, it was claimed tonight.
Mr Ahern telephoned the Democratic Unionist leader after he said all contact with the Dublin Government was being severed, party officials said.
Mr Paisley’s move came after the Taoiseach appeared to concede photographic evidence of weapons destruction – a critical DUP demand in the Northern Ireland peace negotiations – was not possible.
The DUP chief was livid with Mr Ahern’s remarks following talks with Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.
He declared: “We have cut off from today, all connections with the southern government in talks.
“As far as we are concerned, he is a man that can’t be trusted.”
The break-off briefly threatened attempts to stop the devolution plan nearly agreed last week from unravelling.
But a DUP spokesman said tonight: “The Taoiseach contacted Dr Paisley around tea-time to apologise for the situation and how it had developed and reiterated that the photographs continued to be a part of the package.
“We are satisfied with the outcome of the telephone conversation.”
Earlier, after a one-hour meeting with Sinn Féin leaders, Mr Ahern said it would be “insanity” at this stage not to find a way of settling all the issues.
“We were happy with (decommissioning chief) John de Chastelain,” he said.
“Then there was the issue of further witnesses, we were happy with that.
“We had the issue of photographs and that’s not workable so we have to try to find some other way.”
Mr Paisley had insisted the Taoiseach never before suggested photographing decommissioning was not possible during weeks of negotiations.
“From day one until now Mr Ahern never opposed photographs.
“Suddenly he meets two IRA/Sinn Féiners and he comes out and says ’it is not workable’.
“So, anything that the IRA says is not workable he will bow to.”
In a reference to the wife of murdered Garda Jerry McCabe, who is distraught at the prospect of his IRA killers’ being freed under the deal, the North Antrim MP added: “He double-crossed Mrs McCabe, he will not double-cross us. That’s the end of the matter.”
Mr Ahern also stressed that decommissioning was ready to happen but no progress would be made unless there was a comprehensive deal.
Both the British and Irish would have been satisfied with the deal as it was laid on the table to the DUP and Sinn Féin last week.
He said the issues regarding criminality and paramilitary activity were “not that much different” to those set out last October.
Hopes of reaching an agreement to revive the political institutions were shattered last week when the deal unravelled.
Mr Ahern said: “We were very close last Wednesday. There are one or two issues that have to be resolved and we believe it’s possible to resolve these.”
Taoiseach apologises in bid to save peace process
The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has apologised to Ian Paisley in a bid to halt a new row over IRA disarmament turning into a political crisis, it was claimed tonight.
Mr Ahern telephoned the Democratic Unionist leader after he said all contact with the Dublin Government was being severed, party officials said.
Mr Paisley’s move came after the Taoiseach appeared to concede photographic evidence of weapons destruction – a critical DUP demand in the Northern Ireland peace negotiations – was not possible.
The DUP chief was livid with Mr Ahern’s remarks following talks with Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.
He declared: “We have cut off from today, all connections with the southern government in talks.
“As far as we are concerned, he is a man that can’t be trusted.”
The break-off briefly threatened attempts to stop the devolution plan nearly agreed last week from unravelling.
But a DUP spokesman said tonight: “The Taoiseach contacted Dr Paisley around tea-time to apologise for the situation and how it had developed and reiterated that the photographs continued to be a part of the package.
“We are satisfied with the outcome of the telephone conversation.”
Earlier, after a one-hour meeting with Sinn Féin leaders, Mr Ahern said it would be “insanity” at this stage not to find a way of settling all the issues.
“We were happy with (decommissioning chief) John de Chastelain,” he said.
“Then there was the issue of further witnesses, we were happy with that.
“We had the issue of photographs and that’s not workable so we have to try to find some other way.”
Mr Paisley had insisted the Taoiseach never before suggested photographing decommissioning was not possible during weeks of negotiations.
“From day one until now Mr Ahern never opposed photographs.
“Suddenly he meets two IRA/Sinn Féiners and he comes out and says ’it is not workable’.
“So, anything that the IRA says is not workable he will bow to.”
In a reference to the wife of murdered Garda Jerry McCabe, who is distraught at the prospect of his IRA killers’ being freed under the deal, the North Antrim MP added: “He double-crossed Mrs McCabe, he will not double-cross us. That’s the end of the matter.”
Mr Ahern also stressed that decommissioning was ready to happen but no progress would be made unless there was a comprehensive deal.
Both the British and Irish would have been satisfied with the deal as it was laid on the table to the DUP and Sinn Féin last week.
He said the issues regarding criminality and paramilitary activity were “not that much different” to those set out last October.
Hopes of reaching an agreement to revive the political institutions were shattered last week when the deal unravelled.
Mr Ahern said: “We were very close last Wednesday. There are one or two issues that have to be resolved and we believe it’s possible to resolve these.”
